‘State subsidising below-cost alcohol’

THE State is subsidising supermarkets in selling cheap alcohol by refunding them VAT on drink sold at a loss, it emerged at an Oireachtas Committee yesterday.

The chairman of the Health Committee Jerry Buttimer said the issue needed to be addressed “immediately” as it “flew in the face” of Government policy.

The National Off Licence Association (NoffLA) told members supermarkets were able to reclaim VAT on losses incurred on alcohol sold below cost price.